每个国家都有其自己的信仰、世界观、风俗、社会习惯等等，这些告诫国民什么可做，什么不该做。人们刚刚投入到全新而陌生的环境中学习和工作普遍会遇到culture shock(文化冲击)。对于culture shock应当如何对待？又有什么方法能让我们更好地调整自己以适应陌生环境？同学们不妨走进下文，也来“冲击”一下！

　　Each society has its own beliefs, attitudes(看法), customs, behaviors and social habits. These give people a sense of who they are, how they should behave, and what they should or should not do. These “rules” reflect(反映) the “culture” of a country.

　　People become conscious(留心的) of such rules when they meet people from different cultures. For example, in some cultures, being on time can mean turning up several hours late for an appointment, even for a business meeting; in others, 3 p.m. means 3 p.m. Also, the rules about when to eat vary from culture to culture. Many North Americans and Europeans are used to having three mealtimes a day and organize their timetable around them. In some countries, on the other hand, people often do not have strict rules like this—people eat when they want to, and every family has its own timetable.

　　When people visit or live in a country for the first time, they are often surprised at the differences that exist between their own culture and the culture in the other country. The most common way of comparing two cultures is in terms of their differences—not their similarities. For some people, traveling abroad is an exciting experience; for others though, cultural differences make them feel uncomfortable, frightened, or even insecure(不安全的). This is known as “culture shock”. Here are several things to do in order to avoid culture shock.

　　Learning how to adapt to a new culture

　　1. Avoid quick judgments; try to understand people in another culture from their own point of view.

　　2. Become more aware of what is going on around you, and why.

　　3. Don't think of your cultural habits as “right” and other people's as “wrong”.

　　4. Be willing to try new things and to have new experiences.

　　5. Try to appreciate(重视) and understand other people's values.

　　6. Think about your own culture and how it influences your attitudes and actions.

　　7. Avoid having negative stereotypes about foreigners and their cultures.

　　8. Show respect, sincerity(诚挚), interest, acceptance and concern for things that are important to other people.

　　Understanding and appreciating cultural differences can help people avoid misunderstandings, develop friendships more easily, and feel more comfortable when traveling or living abroad.

　　(文/本报资料； 英语辅导报高一版 04~05学年度第22期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)